Pre-festive road trips give momentum to self-driven car businesses: Simpl Checkout Records a 2x Surge in Consumer Bookings

As the pre-festive season beckons with a series of extended weekends, there's a notable uptick in travellers opting for road trips, particularly with platforms like Zoomcar, DriveU, and QuickRide. Insights from Simpl’s checkout network reveal a remarkable 2x surge in bookings made through its checkout system in August compared to the same period in 2022. Among various travel options, self-driven cars are emerging as the top choice for travellers, with Zoomcar, a leading car-sharing marketplace, experiencing a threefold increase in transactions facilitated by Simpl's one-tap checkout.

Zoomcar's nationwide bookings have seen a substantial rise, with a 50 percent increase, signalling a significant shift in consumer preferences across the country. This surge underscores the growing appeal of Zoomcar, offering flexibility, combined with the convenience of Simpl's one-tap checkout.

While major metropolitan areas like Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai spearhead the surge in demand, smaller Tier II cities such as Coimbatore, Jaipur, and Vizag are also witnessing a notable increase in road travel bookings. The data also unveils a consistent pattern of higher bookings from Thursday through Sunday, as weekends continue to entice travellers.

Ashwini Ravindranath, Vice-President, Partner Success at Simpl, commented on this trend, stating, "Amidst the backdrop of extended weekends and the surging pre-festive enthusiasm for road travel, our partner merchants remain steadfast in their commitment to providing exceptional comfort to discerning travellers. At Simpl, we take immense pride in our pivotal role as facilitators, offering a seamless one-tap checkout experience that is effortless and marked by its refinement. This marks a significant milestone for us, empowering our merchants to elevate every traveller’s journey with grace and confidence, transforming each payment experience into a memorable one."

The demographic breakdown reveals a noteworthy trend, with a significant 62 percent of users falling within the 21-30 age bracket. These finding sheds light on the evolving preferences of the younger generation, indicating that the dynamic and adventurous age group increasingly embraces services offered by Zoomcar, DriveU, and QuickRide through Simpl's one-tap checkout.

Greg Moran, CEO and Co-Founder of Zoomcar, shared his perspective, saying, "As an organisation, we have a nuanced understanding of the evolving preferences of consumers and have consistently provided the broadest selection of cars across each of our markets for their convenience. The onset of the festive season, marked by several long weekends in August, has led to a sharp increase in demand for self-drive cars. Simpl's one-tap checkout has played a pivotal role in enhancing the booking journey for customers across the board."

Since its partnership with Simpl in 2021, Zoomcar has contributed to a 40 percent increase in their average ticket size.